44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 14, 2021 10:00AM
- Dec/14/21 2:27:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and our government have always been clear: We will allow this to play out in the courts. Some Quebeckers are defending their rights before the courts and our position is clear. This bill was adopted by the Quebec National Assembly and we will leave it up to the courts.
54 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:28:32 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today's fiscal update is an opportunity for the government to respond to inflation, which is driving up the cost of living and making it harder and harder for Canadians to make ends meet. In particular, vulnerable seniors are feeling the impact of inflation because of the government's clawback of their GIS. We have heard stories from seniors who are struggling to put food on the table and who are struggling to stay in their homes, many of whom have already lost their homes.
We have been fighting the government since August. When will the government commit to fixing the clawback and ending it so that seniors are no longer put in this vulnerable position?
118 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:29:23 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, when the pandemic began, our government acted very quickly to help millions of Canadians, including seniors, especially the most vulnerable. We have stepped up to support them with payments and historic investments, on top of the other boosts we delivered for seniors.
When it comes to the CERB and GIS, we know it has been challenging for some seniors this year. However, as I have said before in the House, we are committed to finding the right solution to support those affected. We will have more to share with the House soon. We will always have their backs.
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:29:46 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the economic update is an opportunity for the government to address inflation, which continues to drive up the cost of living. In particular, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable housing. The government has tools to address this crisis.
Will the Prime Minister commit to responding to the crisis with appropriate measures?
56 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:30:19 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to making life more affordable for Canadians. That is why we have invested in child care agreements around the country, it is why we support our seniors and it is why we made a historic investment of $72 billion in the national housing strategy. We will continue to make housing affordable and ensure that housing affordability is a priority for our government and for all Canadians.
72 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:30:42 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' failed relationship with the United States continues to go backward. The Conservatives have been warning about trade challenges for years, yet the Liberals called an election instead of spending time in the U.S. building relationships and standing up for Canada. The trade minister is now warning that Canada should “prepare for the worst”. The Conservatives had a Canadian buy American exemption and a softwood lumber agreement. Despite photo ops and feel-good words, the trade minister comes back empty handed every time from the United States.
How much worse does the trade minister expect it to get?
104 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:31:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are not going to take any lessons from the Conservatives on this. When we were negotiating NAFTA, the Leader of the Opposition said that we should just capitulate and take any agreement. On this side of the House, we will make sure that we get a good agreement for Canadian workers and for Canadian businesses. We have done that before and we are going to do it again.
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:31:47 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we should not be surprised that the Canada-U.S. relationship is not a priority and is failing. It was not even mentioned once in the throne speech and the U.S. is our biggest trading partner. A small manufacturing business in my riding of Kelowna—Lake Country exports to the U.S. military and will be affected by the buy American policies. It is being failed by the Minister of Small Business and by the Minister of International Trade. That is right; it is the same minister.
When will the minister get off her hands, do her job and stand up for Canadian businesses?
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:32:23 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, throughout the pandemic, as hard as it has been for Canadians all across this country, on this side of the House we have stood up for small businesses. We have provided unprecedented supports so they can continue to operate, keep their people on payroll and pay their bills. We have incredibly strong programs to help Canadian businesses start up, scale up and access new markets, including programs for women entrepreneurs and Black entrepreneurs.
This is about helping the Canadian economy recover. We are doing it on this side of the House, and I challenge my colleagues to join us in supporting our small businesses.
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:33:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, facts are facts.
The countervailing duties that the United States is imposing on Canadian softwood lumber are a slap in the face to our industry; they have doubled. The money is being collected at the border rather than being invested in our businesses. As is the case with inflation and the labour shortage, the government is not interested in this issue because it is not interested in the economy.
Will the Prime Minister commit today to resolving this issue before the holidays?
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:33:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear: Canada's forestry sector and its workers are incredibly important to the Canadian economy. We have also been very clear that the tariffs the U.S. has levied against us are unjustified. We have defended our interests. We defended them in CUSMA, before the NAFTA panels and before the WTO. It has been ruled that Canada is a fair trading partner.
We are going to continue to stand up for Canadian forestry workers and the industry, which employs so many incredible Canadians across the country.
92 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:34:17 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister visited the United States.
After his Minister of International Trade visited Washington and after the Minister of Finance talked about imposing retaliatory measures, nothing has been done to eliminate the U.S. countervailing duties. It has been one failure after another.
I call on the Prime Minister to rise and tell the House what the next steps will be in resolving this issue.
69 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:34:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I share my hon. colleague's concerns; we all do. The forestry workers in his riding and in ridings represented by all parties of the House are of primary concern to us.
I want to reassure my hon. colleague that we are looking for an outcome that is acceptable to the industry and to workers. I encourage the member opposite to work with team Canada.
68 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:35:32 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it has been weeks since the U.S. jacked up softwood lumber tariffs on communities like those in my riding, yet the government seems to have given up, thrown in the towel. Workers in my riding cannot afford to give up.
Why does the government not seem to care at all about fighting for forestry jobs?
58 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:35:55 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forestry sector is incredibly important to the Canadian economy, and I understand the frustration from my colleague on the opposite side. While I was in the United States, I had an opportunity to meet with the National Association of Home Builders, which agrees with us that the high duties and tariffs on softwood lumber hurt its plan for building more affordable homes for Americans.
We are going to keep doing the work here to ensure that we defend Canada's softwood lumber workers and our industry. That work continues.
93 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:36:35 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, workers in my riding cannot take the minister's statement to the bank. Communities in my region have been beset by fires, floods and now a government that has given up. They work hard and they deserve a government that works hard for them. Sadly, the Liberal government does not consider these families and these communities a priority.
What do the forestry workers in my riding have to do to make the government care? Do they have to donate to the Liberal Party?
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:37:05 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member will agree, as we all do and as he said, that the forestry sector and its workers are incredibly important. It has been a very, very difficult year for Canadians in that sector, and indeed in all sectors, living through this pandemic. I am very proud of the work we have been doing to support our forestry workers all across the country. We will continue to stand up to the United States on this very important issue around softwood lumber.
87 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:37:45 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, by renewing the lease for its temporary facilities on Roxham Road, the government is signalling its intention to let the problem get worse and worse for another five years. Who benefits from the federal government's inaction? It is human smugglers who sell refugees a fantasy.
Thanks to the Liberal government, they just found out that they will be able to keep getting rich at refugees' expense for the next five years. This is also good news for Liberal donor Pierre Guay, who is leasing the temporary facilities to the Liberal government. He just secured another five years' worth of public funds.
Does the Liberal minister really think this is good news for families that will continue to cross the border through the woods in the dead of winter?
131 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:38:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, transparency and accountability are critically important to our government. The rental agreement that was negotiated was based on fair market value at a competitive price. Given the location of the hotel and its proximity to the border, this was an ideal location to CBSA for use for this purpose. Our government is delivering open, fair and transparent procurement processes while obtaining the best value for Canadians.
68 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Dec/14/21 2:38:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is a bunch of hooey.
Now that we have identified who benefits from Roxham Road, let us talk about those who do not. This situation does not benefit families who pay smugglers a fortune so that they can risk their safety crossing the border. It does not benefit Quebec, which has to take on 97% of Canada's irregular claims, and it does not benefit Quebeckers, who pay for all the services provided to that 97% of claimants, which is far more than their fair share compared to the rest of Canada.
Why is the Liberal government making Roxham Road permanent instead of suspending the safe third country agreement?
112 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
